Greater New Orleans

Works Both Ways

It appears during each recruiting cycle players commit and decommit from various programs. In the end the recruits are viewed as the bad guys because it was them that reneged on the verbal agreement.

That is expected when dealing with 17 and 18 year old kids, but age and uncertainty are not always the reasons behind de-commitments. Sometimes it is the men recruiting them that lead them to mixed emotions.

Over the weekend Mississippi State Head Coach Sylvester Croom announced he would be stepping down as the Bulldogs' skipper. His decision was the kind that alters recruiting classes. It may turn a decent State class into a dismal one while turning an opposing program's class into a promising one.

"The news came as a surprise to me," Boyd stated regarding Croom's situation. "He was really the main reason I committed to Mississippi State. Now I guess I'll wait and see what happens there.

"Right now, I really do not know what I'm going to do," Boyd added. "I think I'm just going to start looking into everybody that offered me."

For several months Boyd kept his loyalty to the Bulldogs even though he was being heavily pursued by universities such as LSU, Alabama, and Michigan. Now, however, it is fair game. I think it would be hard for anyone to be upset at Boyd if he were to commit to a different program.

One of the programs that remained in contact with the 6-foot-3, 275-pound lineman was LSU. The Tigers were also a program Boyd respected.

I really like LSU," Boyd admitted. "I'm definitely going to give them another look. I stayed in touch with coach [Earl] Lane and I even spoke to coach [Les] Miles not too long ago. They said they understood if I wanted to stay in-state to play, but they really wanted me to go to LSU. They said they had a spot for me and I could come in and play early.

"LSU has been a big name school for a long time," Boyd continued. "I know this year has been kind of a down year for them, but I still consider them as a big time program. I could see myself playing for them."

It is unfortunate the players get punished if they de-commit during a season after giving their signature to a program, but coaches can be fired or decide to accept a bigger contract at another school while deserting the players they recruited and receive no punishment for their actions.

Some may argue the players should select a school for the school and not for the coaches, but that is like buying a car for how it looks and not how it drives or what it offers. Most of the kids accepting athletic scholarships have dreams of one day making it to the NFL. And for the most part they are looking for the team with a coach that has the best shot at getting them there.

I feel it should work both ways. A player should have the option without punishment to leave a program if the head coach that recruited him is dismissed during the four years he was entitled to. If a coach or a school has the option to make a change then so should the players.

I believe by giving the players that option would force schools to try their best in turning things around with the man they originally hired as head coach. I think it would prevent short-term coaching tenures.

LSU's class of 2009 has two players on two different teams that have made it to the semifinals of the Louisiana state playoffs:

Joshua Downs and LSU hopeful Rueben Randle crushed Zachary last week 40-7. They are set to take on Belle Chase.

Barbe dismantled Trevon Reed and Thibodaux 48-14 without the assistance of defensive back Janzen Jackson. Jackson went down earlier in the week at practice with a knee injury. The injury will cost him the rest of the season. Barbe will challenge West Monroe for a ticket to the title game.